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Minnesota Wild make the playoffs, celebrate in locker room (Video)

By Alexandra Huber

Nov 16, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Wild made the NHL playoffs and celebrated in style

Making the playoffs is a big deal to some teams and the Minnesota Wild is definitely one of them.

Three months ago, the Wild had the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference. Last night, with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, the same team that ousted them from the postseason last year, the Wild clinched a wild card berth.

Though the celebration was somewhat muted, it continued to escalate as more and more Wild players filed into the locker room. The culmination was goaltender Devan Dubnyk, whose enthusiastic, goalie-padded high fives were the real star of the night.

Dubnyk, who spent the last few years with the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers, among others, joined the Wild this year. It seems as though the 28 year-old Canadian goalie is enjoying himself.

The rest of the team? They should follow Dubnyk’s example. While this celebration isn’t the worst we’ve ever seen, it could use some work. There are celebrations the Wild can aspire to.

Maybe Ben McLemore is available to teach some dance lessons? Assuming the Wild advance in the playoffs later this month, a more enthusiastic celebration is certainly in order. We nominate Dubnyk to lead it.

The team’s ascension this season is impressive. On January 7th, the Wild sat at 18-15-5 and six points away from the final wild card spot, a rather unimpressive record for a team who made the Western Conference playoffs as the first wild card in the 2013-2014 season. The poor play and mediocre record sparked a profanity-laced rant from head coach Mike Yeo, which was caught on video. Yeo stopped practice not once but twice to dig into his players, calling them out for their poor effort.

Apparently, Yeo’s rant helped. Or, at least, it didn’t hurt.

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